Page 85 of Sweet Somethings

"It's not Martha; it's her sister, Cecelia."

"How did you figure that out?"

"I got an inkling when Martha was lecturing me about being with you last night."

"Wait, she was lecturing you? I'm sorry. I should have stuck around until you got into the house."

"It was fine. I didn't care what she had to say, but to get her off the subject of me and you, I told her we'd found letters in her old house. She got the strangest look on her face even though she said she had no idea what I was talking about. So I went to see Cecelia today, thinking she'd give me a better answer, and she confessed that she was in love with a man who married someone else. Apparently, she was out of town when her parents had the room and closet carpeted, and she just figured the letters were lost forever. I told her she could come by tomorrow and I'd give them to her."

"That's amazing, Juliette. There is nothing you can't figure out, is there?"

"I'm having a pretty good week," she admitted.

"I suspect you have a lot of good weeks. You tend to accomplish everything you set your mind to." He paused. "So who was Cecelia's lover?"

"She wouldn't tell me. And Martha scolded me for asking."

"Wait—Martha was there, too?"

"She came in during our conversation. She tried to shut it down, but Cecelia wouldn't let her. It was interesting to see their loyalty and love for each other. Martha can be a mean-spirited person, but she adores her sister. Cecelia alluded to something in the past that had made Martha bitter and unforgiving. I wonder what that was."

Roman groaned. "Not another mystery to solve, Juliette—you just figured this one out. Can't you at least take a breath in between?"

She laughed. "Yes, I can take a breath, and I'm not planning to add that to my list, just commenting."

"Well, I'm glad you can give Cecelia back her letters. It's better than throwing them out."

"It is." She paused. "I'll let you get back to the guys. Are you rehashing old times?"

"More than I'd like, but that's what a few beers will do."

"What about Travis? Do you feel like hiring him now?"

"I told him I'd hire him for three days. My grandfather will have to sign off on anything longer than that. If Travis does a good job, then I see no reason why he can't continue."

"That will be good for Cameron and probably Donna, too." She was proud of Roman for being able to put the past aside to help out Travis.

"I hope so." He let out a breath. "I missed you today."

The husky, sensual note in his voice made her heart skip a beat as his words felt far more intimate than the conversation they'd been having.

"I know," she admitted. "It seems like forever since I saw you, and it was just last night."

"I was going to see if you wanted to get dinner, but I think I've had a few too many beers for that, and I'm not sure I'll get either of these guys out of the house any time soon."

"You should hang out with them. I have tons of baking to do. I'm going to get a quick bite and get down to it."

"Don't work too hard."

"I will work as hard as I need to." She wasn't quite ready to say good-bye, and she didn't want to hang up the phone without making a plan to see him. "So tomorrow they're having the love boat parade."

"What on earth is that?"

"It's a parade of brightly lit boats just after sunset. They also have live bands and other entertainment on the pier while it's happening. Do you want to come and check it out with me?"

"Don't tell me you're providing desserts for that, too?"

"No. I gave the parade a pass, so I could be free to wander around."

"I'll meet you down there. I have some subcontractors coming late in the afternoon to give me some bids. But once they're done, I'll head to the pier."

"Great. I'll see you there."

She found herself smiling as she drove back to the bakery. It had been a long time since just hearing a man's voice on the phone had made her so happy. She just wished this particular man didn't have one foot out the door.

But it didn't matter how often she told herself to hold back, to guard her heart, to try to stay away from him; she just couldn't do it. She liked him too much. For better or worse, she was in this til the end.

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